Improved car-spring



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E RASTUS T. BUS'SELL, OF INDIANAPOLIS,` INDIANA. Letters Patent No. 84,258, dated November 24, 1868.

IMPRovED CAR-SPRING.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Enns'rns T. BUssnLL, of Indianapolis, in the coimty of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gombined Rubber, Spiral, and Pneumatic Springs for Rail` wa -Cars and other purposes andI do hereby declare that' the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, as constituting a' part of this description, and to4 the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters always referring to like parts.

My invention relates to spiings employed in railway-- cars, and for other analogous purposes; and consists 1n constructing them with two or more concentric hol'- low tubes of vulcanized India rubber, that are -each supported, externally and internally, by spiral metallic springs, the spirals thus separating the rubber tubes, so as to form annular air-spaces between them, for the confinement-of atmospheric air.

These-air-spaces communicate with an air-chamber in the basecup, upon which the rubber tubes and spiral springs rest, and into which air is pumped, to replenish any leakage, by the'vibratory motion of the oar, when in motion; the whole combining, in a simple and etti` cient manner, the elastic properties of VIndia rubber,l

steel, and atmospheric air. rlhe following description will enable skilled artisan to make and use my invention. l

Figiu'e 1 is a c entral vertical transverse section of the combined spring.

Figure 3 is a plan view, or horizontal section, and

'Figure 4 is Yan elevation of the spring.

Figure `2 is a-central vertical transverse section, the same as fig. l, with the exception of the omission of the middle rubber tube R2, and an enlargement of the air-chamber A, in the base-cup. The air element can be increased, in this manner, to any extent.

Figure 5 is a horizontal half section of iig. l, showing a slight modication which I contemplate -makingin the shape of the 'concentric rubber tubes, this being nothing more than longitudinal corrugations in the same, rendering them stiifer laterally, and increasing the capacity ofthe air-spaces between them.

I construct my c. r-spring of annular hollow tubes of vulcanized India rubber, R1 RT R3, each of which is supported, internally 'and externally, by spiral steel springs, Sl S? S3 S", arranged so as to form air-spaces between the rubber tubes, as shown.

The rubbertubes and spiral springs are cut the same length, and rest on a hollow base, C2, in which is formed the air-chamber A. Y

The upper plate of chambered base and the cap G should have V-shaped annular grooves, to receive and compress the ends of theA rubber tubes.

The upper plate of C2 is pierced uwith openings,

through which the air in the chamber A freely communicates with the air-spaces between It and R2, and Il?2A 'and R3. rIhelower plateof base Oz has openings, Mh for the admission of air to the chamber A.

These openings are closed by common clack-Valves, V V, -that prevent the air 'om escaping from the chamber A, but which allow the air to be pumped into it by the vibration of the car when running.

. The contemplated corrugation of the rubber tubes, as shown in iig. 5, is intended on the score of economy chiefly, inasmuch as this form stiifens the walls of the rubber tubes, enabling the fabricator to save his material, by making them lighter than if plain, and, at the i same time, it increases the capacity of the air-spaces z between the tubes.

Another method of enlarging these air-spaces is to make the spiral springs S2 and S3 of flattened Wire or rods, and coil them edgewise. In this case, the diameters of the contiguous rubber tubes mustfconform to the increased room required for the spiral springs.

Then the whole spring is shortened under pressure, the conned air in these spiral spaces reacts upon the llarge body of air conlined -in chamber A, in base O2,

which greatly increases the elasticity of the combined spring.

In the patent of F. M. Ray, March 27, 1849, I am anticipated in a part of my invention, as I am fully awarefi. c., in the combination of helical springs,

`made of metal, with and placed within hollow springs made of metallic'or vulcanized India rubber (although this combination was for a wholly different purpose, as Mr. Ray says himself, viz,) Avhereby the rubber is prevented from spreading laterally, and from chafing against the guide-rod, and the tension of the rubber is increased by that of the helical spring, as described, and I'distinctly disclaim so much of the invention as found in his, and correctly quoted above; but

What I claim as my invention is l. The formation of a rubber spiral and air-spring, by the arrangement and combination of two or more concentric hollow tubes of vulcanized Indiarubber, R* R2 It, and four or more spiral springs, S S2 S3 S4, in such manner that the spirals support the rubber tubes eirternally as well as internally, .and so as to form annular air-spaces, for the connement of atmospheric air between said rubber tubes, substantially as described and shown. i

2. The chambered base C2, with induction-openings Ii, furnished with valves V, and @duction-openings J, between and in combination with the tubular and spiral spring, composed ofthe rubber tubes R and spiralsA S, arranged to operate in. conjunction, as shown and described.

ERASTUS T. BUSSELL. Witnesses:

TURNER A. KNOX, WM. M. Bussum.. A 

